SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released the Seattle Office of Police Accountability's (OPA) findings in its investigation into whether former Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best violated department policies during the 2020 protests.
OPA investigated whether Best violated Seattle Police Department policies over the authorization of tear gas used during protests in the summer of 2020. OPA also opened investigations into whether Best made three false statements and was, "knowingly and intentionally dishonest" during another recorded statement.
Harrell released a memo Thursday that said OPA found Best did not violate department policy or that there was insufficient evidence to prove that she did.
OPA found Best did not violate department policy when she delegated the decision to use tear gas to a subordinate supervisor, as well as, an Assistant Chief's decision to delegate the decision further to a captain.
In the second investigation, OPA looked into whether Best of made three false statements: one, that armed individuals were "patrolling the Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone (CHOP); two, that “these armed people may be demanding payment from business owners in exchange for…protection”; and three, that “they may be demanding to see identification from people who live in the area.”
The OPA concluded there was "factual support" for Best's first statement and referred to video recordings depicting armed individuals "patrolling."
The memo said Best's "refusal" to be interviewed by the OPA investigator led to it not being able to determine whether or not she made a false statement when she said, “these armed people may be demanding payment from business owners in exchange for…protection."
The OPA investigator found the extortion claim came from a tweet “that was not properly vetted or corroborated" and further didn't include the term “armed." "Chief Best was afforded the opportunity to clarify the record on this responsibility and, unfortunately, failed to do so," the memo said.
The memo said the OPA investigator determined Best's "representation that protesters were challenging people who entered the CHAZ was supported in limited part," by a live stream of events happening on June 8 and 9 of 2020, " but there was insufficient information available to independently corroborate" her statement that protestors were demanding identification.
A third investigation looked into whether Best was "knowingly and intentionally" dishonest when she said, “a violent crowd prevented SPD officers from safely accessing and providing emergency medical treatment to two shooting victims located inside the area known as the CHOP."
The OPA said it found audio and video evidence that Seattle police officers faced a "hostile crowd" upon entry into the CHOP zone. However, the investigator said Best's assertion that the crowd “prevented SPD officers from safety accessing and providing medical treatment” to one of the shooting victims was not “factually accurate” and was a “misleading account of what had occurred.”
The OPA investigator reiterated that Best's refusal to be interviewed on the matter led to it not being able to determine whether or not she "knowingly and intentionally" made a false statement.
"The Executive again expresses disappointment in Chief Best’s refusal to sit for an interview on this matter of public concern as it prevented a full assessment of the propriety of her actions during an important moment in the history of Seattle," the memo read. "It is in the interests of the public and the City of Seattle to fully understand the events and the decision-making process that surrounded the protests and public demonstrations that occurred during the summer of 2020."
Because the investigation happened after Best's retirement, no disciplinary action can be taken by the city.
